Season High in Strikeouts Plagues FredNats, Shorebirds Take Series Opener 5-3

Salisbury, MD - The Fredericksburg Nationals struck out a season high 20 times in tonight's 5-3 loss in the series opener to the Delmarva Shorebirds. The FredNats stranded runners on the corners in the 7th, 8th, and 9th, while committing two outs on the basepaths on a double play in the 7th. Tonight goes down as one of the few frustrating losses in what’s been a sensational season so far for the Nationals.

Fredericksburg started off strong, taking the lead in the top of the 1st as Luke Dickerson hit his 6th homer of the season, a solo shot into left field to make it 1-0. That lead didn’t last for long, though, as the Shorebirds scored two in the bottom of the 2nd, with help from two triples that controversially were not called ground rule doubles despite getting wedged under the wall. In the bottom of the 3rd, the Shorebirds added on two more, as DJ Layton hit a two-run home run the other way into left field to make it 4-1.

Both offenses went scoreless in the 4th-6th innings. The FredNats offense finally woke up as Juan Cruz hit a two-run homer to the deepest part of the park in left field that made it a one-run game. The FredNats would go on to get two outs on the basepaths later in the inning, after Eli Willits got a single that could have loaded the bases with one out.

The FredNats then put runners in scoring position in the 8th and 9th but couldn’t bring any home. The loss is just the third in a series opener this season for Fredericksburg. The FredNats look to get back into the win column tomorrow. RHP Luke Johnson gets his first start of the season against RHP Denton Biller. First pitch from Perdue Stadium is set for 6:05 PM.